Card deck

ABSTRACT

A deck of cards may include a plurality of cards arranged in a number of suits. The deck of cards may include a number of cards in each suit. The number of suits may match the number of cards in each suit. The number of suits may be at least five. Each card within a given suit may include a unique pip value.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/211,211 filed Jun. 16, 2021, entitled “CARD GAME”, the contents of which is herein incorporated in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Conventional card games typically utilize a 52 card deck made up of four suits of 13 cards each. Such a deck makeup limits the variety of games that may be played.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment, a method of playing a card game with a plurality of players is provided. The method may include providing a deck of cards having a plurality of cards arranged in a number of suits. Each suit may consist of a number of different cards. The number of the different cards may match the number of suits. Each of the different cards within a respective one of the suits may include a unique pip value. The method may include dealing a number of cards to each player. The number of cards may match the number of suits in the deck of cards. The method may include placing one undealt card face up to form a discard pile. The method may include placing the remaining undealt cards face down to form a draw pile. The method may include each player, in turn, selecting one card from the draw pile or the discard pile and placing one card on the discard pile until one player indicates that the one player has completed a particular challenge of a plurality of challenges. The method may include each remaining player, in turn, selecting one of the plurality of challenges to utilize. The method may include determining a score of each of the plurality of players.

In some embodiments, the one player indicating that the one player has completed the particular challenge may include the player indicating that the particular challenge is not a most difficult challenge of the plurality of challenges. The method may include each remaining player completing one additional turn. The one player indicating that the one player has completed the particular challenge may include the player indicating that the particular challenge is a most difficult challenge of the plurality of challenges. The method may include determining the score of each of the plurality of players without the remaining players getting an additional turn. The method may include playing a predetermined number of hands. The method may include totaling each player's score after the predetermined number of hands to determine a winner. Each of the plurality of challenges may be available for a given player only once in the predetermined number of hands. Each of the plurality of challenges, with the exception of a most difficult challenge, may be available for a given player only once in the predetermined number of hands. The deck of cards may include one or more selected from a group consisting of: a wild card that is usable in place of one of the number of cards of each suit, a skip card that, when placed on the discard pile by a player, causes a next player's turn to be skipped, and a swap card that, when placed on the discard pile by a player, enables the player to swap one of the player's cards with one card from another player's hand. Each of the plurality of challenges may be associated with one or both of a fixed point value and a variable point value.

In another embodiment, a deck of cards is provided. The deck of cards may include a plurality of cards arranged in a number of suits. Each suit may consist of a number of cards. The number of suits may match the number of cards in each suit. The number of suits may be at least five. Each card within a given suit may include a unique pip value.

In some embodiments, the number of suits may be 8. Pip values within each suit may increment from one to a number matching the number of cards in the suit. The deck may include at least one wild card. The at least one wild card may include four wild cards. The deck may include at least one skip card. The at least one skip card may include two skip cards. The deck may include at least one swap card. The at least one skip card may include two swap cards. The deck may include a plurality of tokens. The deck of cards may consist of 72 cards. The suits may include spades, clubs, hearts, diamonds, crowns, crosses, stars, and moons.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a deck of cards according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2A illustrates a scorecard for a card game played using the deck of FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2B illustrates a scorecard for a card game played using the deck of FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a scorecard for a card game played using the deck of FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a deck of cards and games played using the deck of cards. The deck of cards may be used to play games as described herein, and may be used in the development of other games and/or variations on existing games. Embodiments may include a physical deck of cards and/or electronic cards that may enable one or more players to play a card game using one or more electronic devices. In particular, embodiments are directed to decks where a number of suits in the deck matches a number of cards in each suit. Such decks provide a number a unique features than enable different cards games and/or variations of existing card games to be played. For example, such decks have unique mathematical properties including the odds for drawing a specific number value card being equal to odds of drawing a specific suit card. This is unique and different from a traditional deck of cards. These properties provide opportunities to build unique games specific to these attributes and also to create new and different ways to play games that have historically been played with a traditional deck.

In an example using an 8×8 deck (eight suits and eight cards in each suit), the odds of drawing a pair (two cards with a same pip value) is 11.1% (compared to 5.9% for a conventional 52 card deck) and the odds of drawing two cards of the same suit is 11.1% (compared to 23.5% for a conventional 52 card deck). Each and every combination of cards in an 8×8 deck (or other N×N deck) is, by definition, unique and different from the same combination using a traditional 52-card deck. The mathematical odds and associated strategies of playing any game using an 8×8 deck are unique and different from the odds and strategies of playing with a traditional 52 card deck. The result is any traditional card game is now a new and unique game when it played on the 64-card deck. Also, new and unique games designed specifically for an 8×8 deck may be created.

Turning now to FIG. 1 , one embodiment of a deck 100 of pip cards 102 is illustrated. Each card 102 may include a front face 106 and a rear face 108. The front face 106 may include one or more symbols, pictures, alphanumeric characters, and/or other images, at least some of which are unique to each individual card 102. The rear face 108 may be blank, have a same set of symbols, pictures, alphanumeric characters, and/or other images for each card 102, and/or may have a unique design for each card 102. The deck 100 may include pip cards 102 that each belong to one of a number of suits 104. Each card 102 may include a color, symbol, picture, alphanumeric character, and/or other image that represents a given suit 104. The suit 104 may be provided anywhere on the front face 106 of the card 102, such as in a middle region and/or proximate one or more corners of the front face 106. For example, as illustrated, each card 102 includes a designation of a given suit 104 in a corner of each card 102. In the present embodiment, the suits 104 may include red hearts, black clubs, blue diamonds, green spades, pink stars, black moons, purple crowns, and yellow crosses, however it will be appreciated the arrangement above is merely provided as one example and that any other colors and/or symbols may be used to represent a given suit 104. Additionally, in some embodiments, some or all of the suits 104 may have the same color. As just one example, each color may be used for two suits 104, such that an eight suit deck includes four colors.

The number of suits 104 matches the number of pip cards 102 within each suit 104. For example, in a deck 100 having eight suits 104, each suit 104 will include eight different pip cards 102. In some embodiments, the pip cards 102 within each suit 104 may be numbered, however in alternate embodiments various symbols, pictures, letters, and/or other images may be used to distinguish between pip cards 102 within a given suit 104. In a particular example, each suit 104 may include pip cards 102 numbered consecutively from 1 to N, where N represents the number of suits 104 and the number of pip cards 102 within each suit 104. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, each suit 104 may include pip cards 102 numbered from 1 to 8, with each number representing a number of pips for each pip card 102. While shown with pip cards 102 being consecutively numbered, it will be appreciated that numerous variations may exist. For example, pip cards 102 within a particular suit 104 may include consecutive even numbers, consecutive odd numbers, random spacing between numbers, and/or have some other format as long as each suit 104 includes an identical set of numbers (or other images). While shown with eight suits 104 each having eight numbered pip cards 102, it will be appreciated that deck 100 may be formed from other numbers of pip cards 102 and suits 104 that follow an N×N arrangement as described above, typically with N being at least five, at least six, at least seven, at least eight, at least nine, at least ten, or greater.

In some embodiments, deck 100 may include one or more additional cards 110 that may be used to modify gameplay as will be described in greater detail below. For example, deck 100 may include one or more swap cards 110 a, one or more skip cards 110 b, one or more wild cards 110 c, and/or other additional cards 110. In a particular deck 100 having eight suits 104, there may be two swap cards 110, two skip cards 110 b, and/or four wild cards 110 c, however the number and selection of additional cards 110 may be adjusted to meet the needs of a particular deck 100 and/or game.

In one particular game using deck 100, each pip card 102 may be assigned a pip value 112 equal to the number of pips on the pip card 102. For example, in an 8×8 deck 100, the pip values 112 of the pip cards 102 may include pip values 112 of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 points. For scoring purposes, each additional card 110 may have a value of zero points. The game may involve a number of hands, with players attempting to complete one of a number of challenges in each round. The challenges may include, without limitation, a set, a run, a rainbow, a great X, and/or any X (where X is equal to a number of suits 104 and unique pip values 112 in deck 100). A set include three or more pip cards 102 have the same pip number. For example, a three-card set may include a four of hearts, a four of clubs, and a four of diamonds. A run may include a series of four or more consecutive pip cards 102 in any suit 104. For example, a four-card series may include a three of clubs, a four of spades, a five of clubs, and a six of diamonds. A rainbow may include a series of pip cards 102 that are each in a different suit 104. For example, a six-card rainbow may include a one of hearts, a three of crosses, a four of diamonds, a four of stars, a seven of moons, and an eight of spades. A great X may be a run of X number of pip cards 102 in X number of suits 104, with the X being equal to the number of suits 104 in the deck 100. For example, in an 8×8 deck 100, the great X may be called a great 8. One example of a great 8 may include a one of spades, a two of moons, a three of diamonds, a four of hearts, a five of stars, a six of clubs, a seven of crowns, and an eight of crosses. In games that involve the use of wild cards 110 c, each wild card 110 c may be used to fill in for any single pip card 102, with the player selecting which pip value 112 and suit 104 the wild card 110 c represents in a given challenge and hand. It will be appreciated that the challenges described above are merely meant as examples, and that numerous other permutations of pip cards 102 may be utilized as specific challenges in a given game.

A scorecard 120 a may be provided as shown in FIG. 2A. The scorecard 120 a may outline a number of challenges that each player should attempt to complete. Oftentimes, a number of challenges may match a number of hands in the game, such that each player attempts to complete a different challenge in each hand of the game. In some embodiments, each challenge may be completed only once by a given player in a game, such that the player is forced to strategically choose a best challenge to attempt each hand. In some embodiments, one or more of the challenges may be repeatable by a player within a game. For example, more difficult challenges, such as the great X challenge, may be completed any number of times within the game by a single player.

In addition, the scorecard 120 a may indicate point values to be awarded for completing each challenge and provide players a space to enter values for completed challenges and total up the point values to determine a winner. As just one example, the challenges for a given game with an 8×8 deck 100 may include completing two three-card sets (score=total of pip values 112 of unused (two) cards), a six-card rainbow (score=total of pip values 112 of unused (two) cards), a four-card set (score=total of pip values 112 of unused (four) cards), a five-card set (score=total of pip values 112 of unused (three) cards), a five-card run (score=total of pip values 112 of unused (three) cards), a six-card run (score=total of pip values 112 of unused (two) cards), a four-card run and a three-card set (score=total of pip values 112 of unused (one) card), and a great 8 (score=total of pip values 112 of used cards). In some embodiments, a value one or more of the challenges may be increased by completing the challenge using all cards of a single suit 104. For example, a six-card run of cards in a single suit 104 may be awarded a 10 point bonus. As noted above, in hands that include wild cards 110 c, the wild cards 110 c may have a pip value 112 of zero, although in some embodiments, the wild cards 110 c may have a different value, such as one or a value of the pip card 102 that is being replaced by the wild card 110 c.

FIG. 2B illustrates another embodiment of a scorecard 120 b that may be used in a particular game. Scorecard 120 b may be similar to scorecard 120 a described above, but may have a different scoring system. For example, each challenge may be associated with both a fixed point value and a variable point value. Typically, more difficult challenges may include higher fixed point values. As illustrated, point values for completing two three-card sets may equal a fixed value of 40 points plus a total of pip values 112 of unused (two) cards. A six-card rainbow may be worth 40 points plus a total of pip values 112 of unused (two) cards. A four-card set may be worth 40 points plus a total of pip values 112 of unused (four) cards. A five-card set may be worth 50 points plus a total of pip values 112 of unused (three) cards. A five-card run may be worth 50 points plus a total of pip values 112 of unused (three) cards. A six-card run may be worth 60 points plus a total of pip values 112 of unused (two) cards. A four-card run and a three-card set may be worth 60 points plus a total of pip values 112 of the unused (one) card. A great 8 may be worth a 80 points. It will be appreciated that the values for each challenge in scorecard 120 a and 120 b are merely meant as examples, and that point values may be modified to meet the needs of a particular game and/or deck 100. For example, point values may be scaled for decks 100 having fewer or greater numbers of suits 104. Additionally, in some embodiments, each challenge may be associated with only a fixed value, with no variable point values being awarded.

To play the game associated with scorecard 120 a or 120 b, each player may be dealt a number of cards equal to the number of suits 104 in the deck 100. For example, with an 8×8 deck 100, each player may be dealt eight cards. One card may be dealt facing up and may serve as a discard pile. A remainder of the deck 100 may remain face down and serve as a draw pile, which, when depleted, may be replenished by shuffling cards in the discard pile and placing these shuffled cards face down to serve as a new draw pile. One player may begin play. In a particular embodiment, this may be the player to the left of a dealer (which may rotate after every hand), although other methods of determining who plays first may be possible in various embodiments. On each turn, a player may choose to select the top face up card from the discard pile or the top face down card from the draw pile. The player may then lay down one card from his hand face up on the discard pile. In embodiments that use skip cards 110 a and/or swap cards 110 b, a relevant action is performed if a skip card 110 a or a swap card 110 b is placed on the discard pile. For example, when played as a discard, a skip card 110 a results in the next player's turn being skipped, with a following player getting to play next. When played as a discard, a swap card 110 b enables the player who played the swap card 100 b to exchange a card selected from the player's hand with a random card selected from another player's hand. Skip cards 110 a and swap cards 110 b may not be selected by other players from the discard pile.

Play may continue for each of the players. Oftentimes, order of play may be determined in a clockwise manner, although other orders of play are possible in various embodiments, including counterclockwise play. Each hand may continue until 1) a given player “taps” before selecting a card or 2) a player has a predetermined one of the challenges completed before selecting a card. Oftentimes, the predetermined challenge may be the most difficult challenge, such as the great X challenge. In some embodiments, upon completing the predetermined challenge the player may lay down his hand, which may effectively end the hand without the other players getting another turn. Tapping, or performing some other action and/or saying a given word, may be used to indicate that a given player is satisfied with his hand. Upon tapping, the player does not get a turn, but each of the other players gets one final turn to complete their hands. In embodiments that include swap cards 110 b, swap cards 110 b may not be used against the player who has tapped.

After each hand is completed, each player may assemble his hand to complete an open challenge. The score for the challenge completed during the hand may be recorded. In some embodiments, the players may complete the challenges in any order, however in other embodiments the players must complete the challenges in a preset order. As noted above, in some embodiments, one or more challenges, such as the great X, may be completed multiple times in a game. In some embodiments, a subsequent great X may be worth a same point value as the initial great X, while in other embodiments players may receive bonus points for completing multiple great X challenges. If a player cannot complete any open challenges (or an additional great X challenge) during a given hand, the hand is bust and the player must score a zero in one of the remaining open challenges. The player may choose with open challenge receives the zero in some embodiments, while in other embodiments the zero may be recorded to a challenge based on a predetermined set of rules.

Play may continue as described above for a number of hands, which may be equal to the number of challenges in some embodiments. At the beginning of each hand, the cards may be shuffled and a new hand may be dealt. After the final hand is played, each player may total the points from their completed challenges, with the player having the highest point total being declared the winner. In the event of a tie, the player who completed the most challenges is declared the winner. If still tied, the players who have tied may play an additional hand in which some or all of the challenges are open. The player who completes the highest scoring challenge in the additional hand wins. This may be repeated until the players are no longer tied after completion of a hand.

FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of a scorecard 220 that may be used in a particular game. Scorecard 220 may include a number of challenges may be associated with variable point values. As illustrated, each of the challenges may be to collect the most cards of a certain pip value 112 as possible in a given hand. Scoring is done by summing each of the total pip values 112 associated with a given challenge (e.g., the sum of the ones in a player's hand for a challenge to collect all ones, the sum of the twos in a player's hand for a challenge to collect all twos, etc.) and subtracting out the pip values 112 of all cards in the player's hand that do not apply to the challenge (e.g., the sum of all non-ones for a challenge to collect all ones). For example, as illustrated in scorecard 220, for a collect all fours challenge, the total number of fours in the player's hand (here, four) may be summed (16), and the non-fours (here, a three) may be subtracted from that sum to provide the total score (13). In some embodiments, when wild cards 110 c are used, the wild cards 110 c may have a pip value 112 of zero, although in some embodiments, the wild cards 110 c may have a different value, such as one or a value of the pip card 102 that is being replaced by the wild card 110 c. Skip cards 110 a and swap cards 110 b may have zero values in some embodiments. In some embodiments, if every card in a player's hand has the pip value 112 matching a particular challenge, a number of bonus points may be awarded. For example, if the players are dealt five cards and one of the players has five of a kind, the player may score five times the pip value 112 of each card plus a bonus (such as 10 points). It will be appreciated that the values for each challenge in scorecard 220 are merely meant as examples, and that point values may be modified to meet the needs of a particular game and/or deck 100. For example, point values may be scaled for decks 100 having fewer or greater numbers of suits 104. Additionally, in some embodiments, each challenge may be associated with only a fixed value, with no variable point values being awarded.

To play the game associated with scorecard 220, each player may be dealt a number of cards, which may be less than or equal to the number of suits 104 in the deck 100. As just one example, with an 8×8 deck 100, each player may be dealt five cards. One card may be dealt facing up and may serve as a discard pile. A remainder of the deck 100 may remain face down and serve as a draw pile, which, when depleted, may be replenished by shuffling cards in the discard pile and placing these shuffled cards face down to serve as a new draw pile. One player may begin play. In a particular embodiment, this may be the player to the left of a dealer (which may rotate after every hand), although other methods of determining who plays first may be possible in various embodiments. On each turn, a player may choose to select the top face up card from the discard pile or the top face down card from the draw pile. The player may then lay down one card from his hand face up on the discard pile. In embodiments that use skip cards 110 a and/or swap cards 110 b, a relevant action is performed if a skip card 110 a or a swap card 110 b is placed on the discard pile. For example, when played as a discard, a skip card 110 a results in the next player's turn being skipped, with a following player getting to play next. When played as a discard, a swap card 110 b enables the player who played the swap card 100 b to exchange a card selected from the player's hand with a random card selected from another player's hand. Skip cards 110 a and swap cards 110 b may not be selected by other players from the discard pile.

Play may continue for each of the players. Oftentimes, order of play may be determined in a clockwise manner, although other orders of play are possible in various embodiments, including counterclockwise play. Each hand may continue until a given player “taps” before selecting a card. Players may only tap if the player is able to score an open challenge. Tapping, or performing some other action and/or saying a given word, may be used to indicate that a given player is satisfied with his hand. Upon tapping, the player does not get a turn, but each of the other players gets one final turn to complete their hands. In embodiments that include swap cards 110 b, swap cards 110 b may not be used against the player who has tapped.

After each hand is completed, each player may assemble his hand to complete an open challenge, and may score positive points for the cards that match the selected challenge (including wild cards 110 c, if used). The player may receive negative points for cards that do not match the selected challenge. Skip cards 110 a and/or swap cards 110 b may be worth zero points in some embodiments. A bonus may be awarded if every card in the hand matches the selected challenge. In some embodiments, the players may complete the challenges in any order, however in other embodiments the players must complete the challenges in a preset order. If a player cannot complete any open challenges during a given hand, the hand is bust and the player must score a zero in one of the remaining open challenges. The player may choose with open challenge receives the zero in some embodiments, while in other embodiments the zero may be recorded to a challenge based on a predetermined set of rules.

Play may continue as described above for a number of hands, which may be equal to the number of challenges in some embodiments. At the beginning of each hand, the cards may be shuffled and a new hand may be dealt. After the final hand is played, each player may total the points from their completed challenges, with the player having the highest point total being declared the winner. In the event of a tie, the players who have tied may play an additional hand in which some or all of the challenges are open. The player who completes the highest scoring challenge in the additional hand wins. This may be repeated until the players are no longer tied after completion of a hand.

Deck 100 may be used to play other games. For example, a third game may be played that utilizes deck 100 and a number of tokens. Tokens may be any physical object, such as a coin, figurine, and/or other object that may be provided to players. For the first hand, each player may be given five tokens and may be dealt five cards. Remaining cards may be placed in a stock pile. In subsequent rounds players may be dealt cards equal to their remaining tokens. Players may look at their cards but keep them hidden from other players. In some embodiments, the player to left of dealer may play first, although other orders of play are possible in various embodiments. On each turn, a player may 1) bid (or increase a previous bid), 2) challenge a prior bid, or 3) play a skip card 110 a. Before making a decision, the player may pick up a card from the stock pile and discard a card face up. Discards may be placed face up and may be available for all players to use in their bidding. When making a bid, the player may state a quantity of cards and a pip face value. For example, the player may make a bid of three four-pip cards. The quantity represents the player's guess of how many cards of that pip value 112 are held by all players and included in the discard pile. A subsequent player may have the option of increasing the bid. For example, a subsequent player may increase the bid to three five-pip cards or four one-pip cards. Alternatively, the player can challenge a prior bid. When a challenge occurs, all players reveal their cards. The bid count is the total of all cards for that particular pip in all player's hands, the discard pile, and may include wild cards, if being used. If the bid is matched or exceeded the bidder is the winner. If the bid is not matched the challenger wins. The loser will lose tokens equal to the difference between the bid and the actual count. For example, if the bid was five five-pip cards and all players combined cards had seven five-pip cards, the bid is good and the challenger loses two tokens. Any player playing a skip card 110 a does not have to bid or challenge a bid, and it becomes the next player's turn. In some embodiments, players may play swap cards 110 b to the discard pile. Swap cards 110 b enable the player to swap a chosen card from his hand for a random card from another's players hand. The player must then bid or challenge a bid. On the next hand, the losing player deals and the winner plays first. Each player may receive a number of cards equal to the number of tokens he has. In some embodiments, the game play may continue until only one player is left with tokens. In other embodiments, the play may continue for a set number of hands, with the player having the highest number of tokens at the end being the winner.

A fourth game may include a variation on a traditional rummy game. In the third game, a value of a pip card 102 may be equal to the number of pips on the pip card 102. For example, the values of pip cards 102 in an 8×8 deck 100, the pip cards 102 may have values ranging between one and eight points. The additional cards 110, when included, may be worth a fixed value, such as 10 points each, although this value may vary in some embodiments, especially as a deck size is changed. In the third game, players may attempt to complete a number of melds. The melds may include a set, a run, and/or a flush. For an 8×8 deck 100, a set may include three or more cards with the same pip number, such as a four of hearts, a four of clubs, and a four of diamonds. A run may include a series of three or more consecutive pip cards 102 in any suit 104, such as a four of spades, a five of clubs, and a six of diamonds. A flush may include three or more cards of the same suit 104, such as a four of clubs, a five of clubs, and an eight of clubs. It will be appreciated that the above melds are merely provided as examples and that numerous variations exist. Additionally, the requirements of the number of pip cards 102 to make sets, runs, and/or flushes may be modified based on a given deck size.

To play, a dealer may deal a number of cards to each player. The number of cards may be equal to the number of suits 104 in the deck 100. For example, for an 8×8 deck 100, eight cards may be dealt to each player. One card may be dealt facing up to serve as a discard pile. A remainder of the deck 100 is placed face down to serve as a draw pile. If the draw pile becomes depleted, the discarded cards may be shuffled and placed face down to create a new draw pile. A first player, such as the player to the left of the dealer, may play first. The deal may rotate for each hand until a predetermined number of hands have been played. Oftentimes, the number of hands may be equal to the number of suits 104 in the deck 100. On each turn a player 1) selects the top face up card on the discard pile or selects the top face down card from the draw pile and then 2) lays down a card face up on discard pile. If the player lays down a skip card 110 a or a swap card 110 b, the action required by that card is taken. For example, when a skip card 110 a is played, the next player is skipped and play continues with the following player. When a swap card 110 b is played, the player exchanges a card selected from his hand for a card randomly selected from another player's hand. Play then continues with each player taking a turn.

Play may proceed in a clockwise manner (or other order of play) until a player declares rummy or knocks. As described above, during gameplay players may attempt to form melds. Cards used in one meld cannot be shared with another meld. For example, if a player has a hand that includes a seven of clubs, a seven of spades, a seven of diamonds, an eight of diamonds, and a nine of diamonds, the seven of diamonds may be included in a set (the seven of clubs, the seven of spades, and the seven of diamonds) or may be included in a run (the seven of diamonds, the eight of diamonds, and the nine of diamonds), but cannot be included in both the set and the run.

A player may declare rummy when all nine cards (the player's eight cards plus the card drawn from the discard or draw pile) are all playable in melds. In other words, the player's cards may form three different melds that utilize each of the nine cards. When a player declares rummy, the player may place his melds in front of him showing no unused cards. The player does not discard any of the cards and scores zero points. Other players may, in turn, play their melds in front of them and any unused cards are counted. The tally of each player's pip values 112 of unused cards is the score for the respective player.

A player may knock after drawing a card when the player can play eight cards in melds. The ninth card or the discard is placed face up and will be scored against the player. The remaining players then get one more turn and, after discarding, play their respective melds. The remaining players may also play off any of their unused cards against the knocking player's melds. The remaining players may only play unused cards against the knocking player, not other players. In play, after a player knocks, players may discard SWAP or SKIP cards, but no action is taken.

After a hand is completed and each player shows their melds, any unused cards are counted at face value. That amount is scored to the player. Play continues for a preset number of hands, which may be equal to the number of suits 104 in deck 100 in some embodiments. At the beginning of each hand, the cards are shuffled, and a new hand is dealt. The deal may rotate each hand. As hands are completed, the scores from each hand are totaled for each player. After the preset number of hands, the player with the lowest points is declared the winner. If there is a tie, all tied players may play a face-off hand to determine the winner, with the player having the lowest score winning.

It will be appreciated that any number of other games may be played using an N×N deck 100 as described herein. For example, trick taking games may be played. In one particular trick taking game for four players using an 8×8 deck 100, each player may be dealt eight cards. Each player may bid for a number of tricks they will take. A player with the highest bid may declare a trump suit. This player may play against the other three players to complete the bid. If this player wins the bid, the player wins a number of points equal to a number of tricks the player bid. If the player loses the bid, each of the other three players receives the number of points of the bid. Play may continue for a predetermined number of hands, which may match the number of suits 104 in the deck 100. The player with the highest total score after all hands have been played is declared the winner.

In another game for 3-8 players using an 8×8 deck 100, eight cards may be dealt to each player. After dealing, a top card is turned over and declared as a trump suit. The players may compete to take tricks. In first hand, each player may attempt to take a trick with an “8” in it. If a player does not take a trick with an “8” in it the player is eliminated. In the next round players may be dealt seven cards and must compete to take a trick with a “7” in it. Players that do not take a trick with a “7” in it are eliminated. Third round six cards dealt playing to take a trick with a “6” in it. Play continues in this format until only one player remains.

In a game for two players using an 8×8 deck 100, three cards may be dealt to each player. Whichever player wins two of three tricks in the hand may score two points. The first player to eight points wins. There is no trump suit and suits do not matter. The non-dealing player plays one card first. The dealer may play a card with a pip value 112 below, equal to or higher than the non-dealer's card. If the dealer's card is below the first card, the non-dealer takes the trick. If the dealer's card is higher, the dealer takes the trick. If the cards have the same pip value 112, no player wins the trick. One player must take two of the possible tricks to win the two points.

Deck 100 may be used to play various passing games. For example, in one game with three to eight players using an 8×8 deck 100, all of the cards may be dealt. A player having a predefined card, such as the eight of clubs, may lead the predefined card. Each subsequent player must play one or more cards that match or beat the previously played cards. For example, a pair would beat a single card, three-of-a-kind bests a pair, and so on. Player may play skip cards 110 a and/or swap cards 110 b. Wild cards 110 c may also be used. A player must pass if he cannot beat the previous hand played or if he strategically chooses not to play. When all players pass consecutively, the pile is discarded and the player that played the last hand will play first by selecting any card(s) from their hand first. Play continues until one player has played all their cards and is declared the winner.

In another passing game for 3-16 players using an 8×8 deck 100, four cards may be dealt to each player. Each player may choose one card to pass to the right. All cards may be passed simultaneously. Play continues until one player has accumulated four cards having the same pip value 112 and/or four cards of the same suit 104. The player may declare “FOUR” (or perform some other action) and lays down his cards and is named the winner of the hand, receiving one point. The winner is the first player that scores a predetermined number of points.

In another passing game for 3-8 players using an 8×8 deck 100, each player may be provided with three tokens. The objective is to avoid bringing a count (total number of pips) on the discard pile over 88 (or another predetermined total value). Whichever player plays a card that puts the total over 88 loses a token. Once all 3 tokens are lost, the player is eliminated. To play, a dealer deals the cards to each player. A first player takes a card from top of a stockpile and discards a card. A pip value 112 of that card is said aloud. A next player draws a card and discards. The discard pile now has increased and that players says the total out loud. Play continues until one player must play a card that takes the total over 88. That player loses a token and a new hand begins. The final player with tokens is the winner.

Deck 100 may be used to play various passing games. For example, in one game with three to eight players using an 8×8 deck 100, each player may be dealt four cards (or some other number of cards) for each of eight hands. Players can choose to score their pips (1's, 2's, 3's, 4's 5's, 6's, 7's or 8's). The players can only play each pip one-time in the eight hands. Players draw and discard cards to form their best hand. When a player knocks the remaining players get one more turn. Players then reveal their hand to score points. For example, A player with a hand of 3-3-5-8 may choose to play 6 points in their 3's, 5 points in their 5's, or 8 points in their 8's. Whichever pip they choose, that pip is closed, and they can no longer score points in that pip. Winner is player that accumulates the most points over 8 hands. In some embodiments, a scoring variation may include subtracting a value of the pips not used from the hand value. For example, with a hand of 3-3-5-8 and the player opting to play 6 points in the 3's, the score may be −7 (6-13).

Deck 100 may be used to play various matching games. For example, in one game for three to eight players using an 8×8 deck 100, each player may be dealt eight cards (five cards if five or more players are playing). One card may be dealt up on table as a discard pile. In turn, a player may play a card from his hand to top of the discard pile by matching a pip and/or suit of the top card on the discard pile. The player may play a wild card, skip or swap card. A player that plays a wild card may then declares new suit for the next player. If a skip card is played, the next player's turn is skipped. If a swap card is played, the player who played the swap card may swap one of his cards for a random card of a another player. If a player cannot play, that player may draw from a draw pile until a play can be made. Play may continue in a systematic manner (such as clockwise) until a player has played all the cards from his hand is declared the winner. Variations may be available for special uses of select cards. For example, a card having a pip value of “2” maybe used as a draw 2 card, which requires the next player to draw two cards from the draw pile and forfeit his turn.

Deck 100 may be used to play various poker-style games for three to ten players. These games may include games in which players make attempt to make the highest-ranking hand. Variations for draw, stud, Texas Hold'Em are common. Traditional hand rankings may be used; but with an 8×8 deck the odds and opportunities for making specific hands are unique and different when compared to a traditional deck. For example, draw poker games, such as five card and seven card draw poker may be played. In such games, each player may place an ante to the pot. Players are then dealt five cards (or seven in seven card variations) face down. Players may make decisions to bet or fold. All players matching a highest bet may draw up to three cards. A second round of betting may take place. Players that match a final highest bet show hands. The player with the best hand is declared winner and claims the pot. In some embodiments additional draw and/or betting rounds may be included.

Deck 100 may be used for stud poker games. For example, players in each round receive a number of face-down and/or face-up cards as agreed for the particular game format. After each round of cards are dealt; a round of betting follows. After the completion of the predetermined rounds. All players that have stayed by matching all bets will turn over cards. A highest ranking hand is determined to be the winner and claims the pot.

Deck 100 may be used for flop poker games. For example, players may be dealt a number of face down cards. A bet is placed. A series of common cards may be played face up (“Flop”). The common cards are available to all players to combine with their face down cards to make the best 5 card hand. After predetermined rounds of flops and betting are completed. A player with highest hand is determined to be winner and collects the pot.

Deck 100 may be used for blackjack style games. In a particular game, players may make a wager and may be each dealt three down cards. The dealer is also dealt three cards, two up and one down. The cards “two” through “eight” are valued at the pip value (2 through 8). The “one” card can be valued at 1 or 10 points at the players discretion. A hand's value is the sum of the pip values. Players can draw cards to improve their score attempting to reach 24 points, the highest hand. If their score exceeds 24 their hand is bust and the players wager is lost. After players complete their turns, the dealer plays their hand. Dealer exposes all cards and must take an additional card if their score is 20 or less. If the dealer score reaches 21-24 points, the dealer must hold. If the dealer score is above 24 the dealer is bust. When the dealer busts, each player that has not bust wins his wager. If the dealer does not bust, each non-bust player's score is compared to the dealer's score. If the player score is better than the dealers, the player wins the wager. If the score is lower than dealer, the player loses the wager. A tie is a push and the player keeps the original wager.

Deck 100 may be used for solitaire games for a single player. For example, in one game using an 8×8 deck of cards, eight piles of cards may be dealt from left to right. From left to right, each pile contains one more card than the last. The first and left-most pile contains a single upturned card, the second pile contains two cards (one downturned, one upturned), the third contains three (two downturned, one upturned), and so on, until the eighth pile which contains eight cards (seven downturned, one upturned). The topmost card of each pile is turned face up. The remaining cards form a stock and are placed facedown. The objective for the player is to build up eight stacks of cards (one for each suit) starting with one and ending with eight (the “scoring stacks”). The player may turn over three cards from the stock and may play the top card. Possible plays include 1) placing the card on any pile provided the card is lower in value than the prior card and does not match the prior cards suit, 2) placing the card on a proper scoring stack, 3) moving a segment of any pile to another pile, and/or 4) placing an “8” in any open pile. Play continues until all the scoring stacks are completed (player wins) or until no more moves are possibly (player loses).

In another game, 60 cards may be dealt, face up, into eight columns of 7-8 cards each. These eight columns make up a table. The remaining four cards go into four cells placed above the first four columns. There are four additional cells that are open above the remaining four columns. The eight positions along the top are the cells. These cells can be used to temporarily store any card from the table. There are also eight scoring stacks along the table. These scoring stacks are used to build up each suit from one to eight. That is, each scoring stack begins with the one of a given suit and is followed by the 2 of the same suit, which is followed by the 3 of the same suit, and so forth, until all the cards through the eight have been placed in the scoring stack. The table piles are where most of the game play occurs. The cards are, again, all face up, and are built down by suit. The player can make legal moves within the Table to attempt to free cards for placement in the scoring stacks. The player may only move the cards between columns one at a time; however, the presence of an open free cell essentially increases the number of cards that can be moved (e.g., if there are three open cells, four cards can be moved at once—one for each cell, and the one that can always be moved). If a column is emptied, the player may place an eight in the empty space, regardless of suit. The game is won if player can play all cards into the eight scoring stacks.

While primarily discussed in terms of 8×8 decks 100, it will be appreciated that the various games (scoring and/or gameplay) may be modified to accommodate other sizes of N×N decks 100. Additionally, the number and/or presence of one or all of the additional cards 110 within a given deck 100 may be adjusted to meet the needs of a particle game. The adaptability of the decks 100 and games may enable the various games described herein to be customized for a given number of players and/or difficulty level (as the mathematical odds of completing a given hand, meld, and/or challenge may vary based on the deck size). Additionally, it will be appreciated that the N×N decks 100 described herein may be utilized to play any number of games that are not explicitly disclosed herein, including outplay games (trick-taking games, beating games, matching games, etc.), card exchange games (draw and discard games, commerce games, quartet group games, card passing games, etc.), hand comparison games (showdown games, vying games, banking games, etc.), patience games (solitaire, competitive patience games, etc.), and/or other games (combat games, compendium games, race games, role games, etc.). In some embodiments, the decks 100 may be provided as kits, which may include instructions for using the cards (such as game rules), scorecards, tokens, and/or other components. In some embodiments, the instructions and/or scorecards may be sized and/or shaped to match and/or be smaller than the cards. Additionally, the kits may include storage units, such as boxes, bags, and/or other physical packaging that may be used to store the cards, instructions for using the cards, scorecards, tokens, and/or other components.

While discussed in terms of physical decks 100 of cards, it will be appreciated that the cards and games described herein may be produced in electronic forms as well. For example, a computing device may be programmed with the rules of one or more games, along with the make-up of an electronic version of one or more N×N decks 100. The electronic forms may enable single players to play against artificial intelligent players and/or other human players that are playing on one or more networked devices.

The decks, cards, and games discussed above are examples. It must be stressed that various embodiments may omit, substitute, or add various procedures or components as appropriate. Also, features described with respect to certain embodiments may be combined in various other embodiments. Different aspects and elements of the embodiments may be combined in a similar manner. Also, it should be emphasized that many of the elements are examples and should not be interpreted to limit the scope of the invention.

Specific details are given in the description to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. Rather, the preceding description of the embodiments will provide those skilled in the art with an enabling description for implementing embodiments of the invention. Various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Also, the words “comprise”, “comprising”, “contains”, “containing”, “include”, “including”, and “includes”, when used in this specification and in the following claims, are intended to specify the presence of stated features, integers, components, or steps, but they do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, components, steps, acts, or groups.

As used herein, the articles “a” and “an” refer to one or to more than one (i.e., to at least one) of the grammatical object of the article. By way of example, “an element” means one element or more than one element. As used herein, including in the claims, “and” as used in a list of items prefaced by “at least one of” or “one or more of” indicates that any combination of the listed items may be used. For example, a list of “at least one of A, B, and C” includes any of the combinations A or B or C or AB or AC or BC and/or ABC (i.e., A and B and C). Furthermore, to the extent more than one occurrence or use of the items A, B, or C is possible, multiple uses of A, B, and/or C may form part of the contemplated combinations. For example, a list of “at least one of A, B, and C” may also include AA, AAB, AAA, BB, etc. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of playing a card game with a plurality of players, comprising providing a deck of cards comprising a plurality of cards arranged in a number of suits, wherein: each suit consists of a number of different cards; the number of the different cards matches the number of suits; and each of the different cards within a respective one of the suits comprises a unique pip value; dealing a number of cards to each player, the number of cards matching the number of suits in the deck of cards; placing one undealt card face up to form a discard pile; placing the remaining undealt cards face down to form a draw pile; each player, in turn, selecting one card from the draw pile or the discard pile and placing one card on the discard pile until one player indicates that the one player has completed a particular challenge of a plurality of challenges; each remaining player, in turn, selecting one of the plurality of challenges to utilize; and determining a score of each of the plurality of players.
 2. The method of playing a card game with a plurality of players of claim 1, wherein: the one player indicating that the one player has completed the particular challenge comprises the player indicating that the particular challenge is not a most difficult challenge of the plurality of challenges; and the method further comprises each remaining player completing one additional turn.
 3. The method of playing a card game with a plurality of players of claim 1, wherein: the one player indicating that the one player has completed the particular challenge comprises the player indicating that the particular challenge is a most difficult challenge of the plurality of challenges; and determining the score of each of the plurality of players without the remaining players getting an additional turn.
 4. The method of playing a card game with a plurality of players of claim 1, further comprises: playing a predetermined number of hands; and totaling each player's score after the predetermined number of hands to determine a winner.
 5. The method of playing a card game with a plurality of players of claim 4, wherein: each of the plurality of challenges is available for a given player only once in the predetermined number of hands.
 6. The method of playing a card game with a plurality of players of claim 4, wherein: each of the plurality of challenges, with the exception of a most difficult challenge, is available for a given player only once in the predetermined number of hands.
 7. The method of playing a card game with a plurality of players of claim 1, wherein: the deck of cards further comprises one or more selected from a group consisting of: a wild card that is usable in place of one of the number of cards of each suit; a skip card that, when placed on the discard pile by a player, causes a next player's turn to be skipped; and a swap card that, when placed on the discard pile by a player, enables the player to swap one of the player's cards with one card from another player's hand.
 8. The method of playing a card game with a plurality of players of claim 1, wherein: each of the plurality of challenges is associated with one or both of a fixed point value and a variable point value.
 9. A deck of cards, comprising: a plurality of cards arranged in a number of suits, wherein: each suit consists of a number of cards; the number of suits matches the number of cards in each suit; the number of suits is at least five; and each card within a given suit comprises a unique pip value.
 10. The deck of cards of claim 9, wherein: the number of suits is
 8. 11. The deck of cards of claim 9, wherein: pip values within each suit increment from one to a number matching the number of cards in the suit.
 12. The deck of cards of claim 9, further comprising: at least one wild card.
 13. The deck of cards of claim 12, wherein: the at least one wild card comprises four wild cards.
 14. The deck of cards of claim 9, further comprising: at least one skip card.
 15. The deck of cards of claim 14, wherein: the at least one skip card comprises two skip cards.
 16. The deck of cards of claim 9, further comprising: at least one swap card.
 17. The deck of cards of claim 14, wherein: the at least one skip card comprises two swap cards.
 18. The deck of cards of claim 9, further comprising: a plurality of tokens.
 19. The deck of cards of claim 9, wherein: the deck of cards consists of 72 cards.
 20. The deck of cards of claim 9, wherein: the suits comprise spades, clubs, hearts, diamonds, crowns, crosses, stars, and moons. 